In 1690,
the very first American congress was called by Jacob Leisler the
lieutenant governor of New York, who was hanged for his
protest against British tyranny. His first American congress
was followed by a number of others which culminated in the
Declaration of Independence in 1776. In 1735 John Peter
Zenger established the first independent American newspaper,
and by his courageous stand against the British
oppression established freedom of the press in
America. He also printed the first
arithmetic book in the colonies. The first Bible printed
in America was published in the German language. Bibles were
printed years later in English. One of the earliest
announcements of the Declaration of Independence was
published in the German language Philadelphia Staatsbote of Henry
Miller on July 5, 1776.

German-Americans
helped win the American Revolution and fought with outstanding
distinction. On May 22, 1776 Congress ordered the creation of a
German-American regiment consisting of four
companies from Pennsylvania and Maryland, where many
German-Americans lived. They fought at Trenton,
Princeton, Brandywine and spent the terrible winter of 1777-78 at
Valley Forge with General Washington. The personal body-guards of
Washington were German-Americans under the command of Major von
Heer, an officer of Frederick the Great of Prussia. Other
great German-American generals and officers in the American
Revolution were: Peter Muehlenberg, Baron DeKalb, Nicholas
Herkimer, Gerhard von der Wieden, Heinrich
Lutterloh, Johann Schott and many
others. The Continental Army was organized by
General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. In
1778 he wrote the first army regulations manual for the
United States. The role of the German-Americans was so vital in
the Revolution that Washington's last letter before his
resignation as commander in chief was addressed to Baron
von Steuben in appreciation of his service to
America.

German-Americans
came to America for different reasons: religious,
political, or economic. All of these twelve million German
immigrants and their sixty million descendants became devoted
citizens of the U.S. They helped build this
nation into the mightiest land of the world and
made noble contributions in every field of human endeavor.
Hundreds of thousands of them died on the battlefield
for American Independence, to preserve the Union and to
protect American democratic institutions. Their devotion
and loyalty to America, their common sense and
sturdiness, their thrift, talent, business insight and their love of
life have influenced American life.

It is
but a mere understatement to characterize
German-American contributions to the building of the
American nation as significant, praiseworthy and unforgettable.
These achievements and accomplishments were decisive and
determinative in shaping the course of American
history. But if we look over the works treating with
the origin, history and achievements of the
American nation, to ascertain what part the descendent's
of the millions of German immigrants took in the development of
the country, we rarely find more than a brief mention.